Toilet rebates — how they work

Take advantage government rebates for new
low-flush and dual-flush
toilets in BC:

LiveSmart BC rebates —
The BC government does not offer rebate
incentives for low-flush or dual-flush toilet replacements.
However BC homeowners can qualify for up to $7,000
and more in home energy grants through the
LiveSmart BC rebate program, which is in effect
until March 31, 2013.
Click here for more

Home Energy Audits —
To qualify for Government of BC’s LiveSmart rebates,
BC homeowners must get a home energy audit
before and after
their home energy renovations.
The BC government’s LiveSmart BC program
subsidizes the cost of your first home energy audit.
Click here for more

BC municipal and regional toilet rebates —
Some BC regions and cities offer rebate incentives
for qualified low-flush toilets.
A home energy audit is not required
to qualify for BC regional and city toilet rebate programs.
Contact your BC city/region/district
for the most up-to-date
toilet rebate program information for your area.
BC homeowners are responsible for applying directly for
BC city and regional toilet rebates.

Home Renovation Tax Credit —
Many homeowners in British Columbia use “tax credit”
to describe a grant program like LiveSmart BC rebates.
The original Home Renovation Tax Credit
(HRTC) expired in 2010.
With today’s 2011 “tax credit” programs
there’s no need to wait until you’ve filed
your annual income tax return to receive a home renovation tax credit.
Your tax-free grant money will be sent within 90 days of
your follow-up energy audit.
Click here for more

BC rebates — conditions

Some conditions apply.

Home energy audit —
To qualify for Government of BC LiveSmart
rebates you must get an ecoENERGY home energy audit
before and after upgrades to your BC home.
You will receive grants for improvements started
after your first audit.

Renovations —
You can complete the improvements yourself or hire
a BC contractor. We recommend you retain copies of
all documentation including invoices,
receipts, photos and product literature to be sure you get
full credit for all improvements.

LiveSmart BC —
You need to apply for LiveSmart BC rebates
by completing your follow-up
(post-retrofit) audit within 18 months of
your first audit, or by March 31, 2013, whichever comes first.

Existing homes only —
Newly built BC homes occupied for less than six months
do not qualify for grants. Once a newly
built home has been occupied for more than six months, there is
no limit to how old a home can be to qualify for
LiveSmart BC rebates.

Local codes & by-laws —
All improvements or renovations
must meet BC building codes and by-laws.
Pay special attention to the placement of vapour
barriers when adding insulation to the building envelope.
Before undertaking improvements
or renovations, find out about the appropriate
products and installation techniques to ensure that your
home’s building envelope and indoor air quality
will not be compromised.

Higher efficiency —
To qualify for LiveSmart BC rebates
any new equipment installed in your BC home
must have a higher efficiency than that of the original
equipment it replaces.

Questions about eligibility —
If you are not certain about the eligibility of your BC house,
or any specific renovations you are planning,
you should request clarification from the Governments of BC.
BC homeowners are responsible for clarifying that their house
and planned improvements are eligible for LiveSmart BC rebates
before undertaking any upgrade work
and related expenses.

Grant table —
For a more complete list of eligiblity criteria see
BC Rebate
List.

BC rebates & incentives

LiveSmart BC rebates

BC homeowners can qualify for
tax-free rebates
from the Government of British Columbia.

Other BC rebates —
Vancouver homeowners may qualify for a
$3,000 rebate from the City of Vancouver Solar Homes Pilot
when installing
solar
hot water systems. There are additional
rebates for low-flow
toilets, and even
more grants, rebates and incentives from local
governments and energy utilities.

You begin —
by completing an ecoENERGY assessment with a certified
energy advisor. The BC government subsidizes the cost of
your first home energy audit.

Your advisor —
will apply for LiveSmart BC rebates
on your behalf, after you have completed your
energy-efficient renovations
and your BC home has been re-assessed. You have
to make some or all of the improvements your advisor
recommends for your BC home, and
complete a follow-up (post-retrofit) energy
audit within 18 months of your initial energy audit or
before March 31, 2013, whichever comes first.

Home Renovation Tax Credit

Many BC homeowners use “tax credit” to describe
a government grant program like LiveSmart BC rebates.
The original Home Renovation Tax Credit
(HRTC)
expired in 2010.

2009 income tax credit —
The original
Home Renovation Tax Credit allowed families to claim a credit
of 15 per cent of home improvement costs, between
$1,000 and $10,000, on their 2009 income tax return.
Each Canadian family could claim up to $10,000
in home improvement costs, for a credit of up to
$1,350 per family.

2011 ‘tax credit’ programs —
Newer programs provide government grants of up to
$7,000 and more. And there’s no need to wait until
you’ve filed your annual income tax return to receive a
home renovation tax credit. Your tax-free grant
money will be sent within 90 days of your
follow-up energy audit.

Your advisor can help

By choosing a HomePerformance
Energy Advisor to do your BC home energy audit,
you’ll receive information on Government of BC
LiveSmart home energy renovation
rebates.

Enjoy all the benefits

Do it right

Each British Columbia home has its own specific
energy-savings needs,
and yours is no different. The right renovations
add up to big savings. By following the expert
advice of a certified BC energy advisor,
you’ll make the energy renovations or
"retrofits" that are right for your BC home —
and help improve your energy costs and the BC environment.

And there’s even more. Click here to learn how
BC
homeowners like you are saving thousands of
dollars and tonnes of greenhouse gases every year,
by making the right energy-saving home renovations.
British Columbia homeowners can make a difference.

*BC homeowners can qualify for more than $7,000
in tax-free
renovation rebates from the Government of BC.*This website displays government grant and renovation “tax credit”
information for your convenience only.*We accept no liability whatsoever
for any incomplete or inaccurate grant information displayed in these webpages.*For complete information on government grants
and home energy audit rebates go to
ecoaction.gc.ca,
livesmartbc.ca,
actionplan.gc.ca/homes.*Grant amounts may be revised at the discretion
of the Governments of Canada, and British Columbia.
**ecoENERGY Initiatives help Canadians
use energy more efficiently,
boost renewable energy supplies and develop cleaner-energy technologies.
**ecoENERGY Retrofit Homes residential energy efficiency assessment program
was developed by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).
**ecoENERGY and Energuide for Houses are official
trademarks of the Government of Canada.
Used under licence.